Seeking quirky charm in New Hampshire? You have to know where to look.
New Hampshire ranks among America's smallest and least populous state, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for with an array of out-of-left-field monuments and attractions. Here are five of the best:
Albacore Park
The USS Albacore, a National Historic Landmark site, was built in Portsmouth and launched in 1953 as a U.S. Navy research submarine. Decommissioned in 1972, it was later brought back to Portsmouth and put on display in 1986. Tour the sub, including the periscope, control room and bunk rooms, and listen to recorded stories from former crew members. Learn more about the USS Albacore at the park's maritime museum.
American Classic Arcade Museum
More than 250 classic arcade games, including Pac-Man, Space Invaders and Asteroids, are ready for you to play at this Laconia museum dedicated to gaming history and preservation. Besides enjoying the throwback games, visitors can learn about the evolution of video gaming and the history of arcades.
America's Stonehenge
Built more than 4,000 years ago, the maze of ancient standing stones known as America's Stonehenge in Salem is an accurate astronomical calendar used to track specific solar and lunar events. The half-mile trail has some uneven terrain and is on a gradual incline. Plan your trip for the annual summer solstice on June 20 to view the solar alignments over the stones.
Chutters Candy Store
With two locations in the state, Chutters provides visitors with sweets galore. The Littleton store is home to a 112-foot-long candy counter, listed in the Guinness World Records as the world's longest continuous candy counter. The Lincoln location is ideal for visitors to the White Mountains. Both stores provide an abundance of choices in classic and nostalgic candies plus homemade fudge, chocolates and other treats.
Clark's Bears
A Lincoln favorite since 1928, this family-owned attraction, now in its fifth generation has about 20 family members involved in the business. Besides its famous black bear show, fun comes in the form of water blaster boats, a climbing tower and water raft ride. There are also five museums, such as the Americana Museum, and four specialty shops along its Victorian Main Street.
New Hampshire Telephone Museum
Before cellphones there were land lines, and this Warner Museum pays tribute to them. Marking its 20th anniversary this year, the museum houses more than 1,000 telephones and artifacts dating back to the 1700s. A new interactive Sound Wave Lab invites visitors to practice Morse code, dial telephones and much more.